Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for Eric Bledsoe in 2017-18

4. Shoot 37 percent from 3-point range

As a career 33.4 percent 3-point shooter, long range accuracy isn’t one of Eric Bledsoe’s strengths. However, he’s still certainly capable, and as the game has increasingly embraced the importance of the long ball, he’s worked to adjust this aspect of his game.

In seven NBA seasons, Bledsoe has only shot 37 percent or better from deep in two of them: 2012-13 on 1.0 attempts per game, and as recently as 2015-16 on 4.2 attempts per game, albeit in only 31 appearances.

In Phoenix’s 48-win season in 2013-14, Bledsoe converted a respectable 35.7 percent from downtown, which feels like a reasonable expectation for him as a mediocre long range threat. However, something like last season’s 33.5 percent on a career-high 4.7 attempts per game leaves a lot of room for improvement.

As the league continues to stress the importance of long range shooting, Bledsoe could very well be putting up five 3-pointers a night in 2017-18. If that’s the case, he’ll need to be converting around 37 percent of them to make it worth Phoenix’s while, especially as a team that ranked 29th in attempted 3-pointers and 27th in 3-point percentage last year.